Streams In The Desert Reading PlanParaugs

DAY 18

God wins his greatest victories through apparent defeats. Very often the enemy seems to triumph for a season, and God allows it. But then he comes in and upsets the work of the enemy, overthrows the apparent victory, and as the Bible says, “frustrates the ways of the wicked” (Psalm 146:9). Consequently, he gives us a much greater victory than we would have known had he not allowed the enemy seemingly to triumph in the first place.

The story of the three Hebrew young men who were thrown into the fiery furnace is a familiar one (see Daniel 3:13–27). There was an apparent victory for the enemy. It looked as if the servants of the living God were going to suffer a terrible defeat. We have all been in situations where it seemed as though we were defeated, and the enemy rejoiced. We can only imagine what a complete defeat this appeared to be for Daniel’s friends. They were thrown into the terrible flames while their enemies watched to see them burn. Yet the enemy was greatly astonished to see them walking around in the fire … This apparent defeat resulted in a miraculous victory.

Suppose these three men had lost their faith and courage and had complained, saying, “Why didn’t God keep us out of the furnace!” They would have been burned, and God would not have been glorified.

If there is a great trial in your life today, do not acknowledge it as a defeat. Instead, continue by faith to claim the victory through him who is able to make you “more than conquerors” (Romans 8:37), and a glorious victory will soon be apparent. May we learn that in all the difficult places God takes us, he is giving us opportunities to exercise our faith in him that will bring about blessed results and greatly glorify his name.

From Life of Praise